1. Field of the Invention
Chemicals, solvents, and paints are traditionally distributed in aerosol cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, or metal cans. Aerosol cans offer the advantage of permitting the material to be distributed in a precise flow and pattern, with the disadvantage of high packaging costs and a low amount of material delivered per can. Aerosol cans also tend to be easily misplaced, discarded after only a portion of the contents of the can are dispensed, and these cans are difficult to account for and are easily misplaced.
Many manufacturing and maintenance facilities utilize numerous solvents and paints in the course of their business, and utilize many different methods of distributing and accounting for these chemicals. It is not unusual to find the same solvent or chemical distributed in several different ways, with widely differing costs, in the same facility. These industries have been searching for an economical, environmentally friendly method to dispense various materials that are used within their facilities. Equipment which is safe and which provides a single solution to their needs is now available, through the invention claimed.
2. Description of Prior Art
Industry has long sought reliable and reusable equipment for dispensing chemicals and paints. Earlier inventors have solved some, but not all, of the problems facing industry. Special purpose equipment is commonplace, but there are few inventions with the flexibility to provide a single solution for dispensing solvents, paints, and other chemicals.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,733,724 provides a tank with an agitator for spraying paint. The lid of the sprayer is held in place by a plurality of bolts, prone to damage, and the unit has no handle, and is thus limited in being easily moved. It is reusable, but not easily labeled, and does not have a safety pressure relief valve, relying instead on a pressure control valve, which if improperly set, would allow the tank to become overly pressurized, and to explode. The agitating member features an integrated motor, as opposed to utilizing an electric drill to agitate the contents as needed. The agitator and dip tubes are exposed upon the removal of the lid, making them prone to damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,535 discloses a second spray painting system, equipped with a pressure relief valve which is selectively enabled. If the tank is pressurized with the valve in the "off" position, the pressure relief valve would not prevent over pressurization. In addition, the system is stationary, and not suited for dispensing chemicals or paints to their location of use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,025,006 discloses a third spray painting system on casters for portable use, with a spray nozzle assembly designed to mix pressurized air and paint to propel a fine mist of paint. Pressure of paint fed to the nozzle is not controlled by the system, but rather is monitored by the operator by means of a gauge, and the nozzle is adjusted to compensate for the changes in pressure that occur as the tank is used and the contents are emptied.
Each of these aforementioned patents utilize a fixed motor to operate an agitation mechanism, and are purpose built for dispensing paint. The claimed invention will dispense paint, but it is not limited to dispensing paint, and can be used to dispense solvents or other chemicals. In addition, the claimed invention solves the problem of regulating the output of material so that it is under a consistent pressure, eliminating the need to constantly adjust the flow control valves in traditional paint spraying nozzles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,245 discloses a backpack sprayer for distributing insect eggs in agricultural applications. This invention utilizes a pressurization system that must be engaged as material is distributed, and is purposely built for one specific function. The device utilizes a magnetically coupled agitation device, with a custom motor and a battery to supply power. It features a dispenser that merges compressed air with material to be dispensed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,186,391 and 4,154,401 disclose spray units with self-contained pressurization devices, intended to dispense insecticides in the first instance, and solvents in the second. Neither device is multipurpose enough to permit the dispensing of paint or solvents, but are rather purpose built for a specific purpose. Both devices provide a handle integral to the pressurization device, and neither have a method for stirring the contents.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,135,669 and 3,801,015 disclose tanks on wheels with spray nozzles to dispense material under pressure. Neither have a method of stirring the contents. One device has a pressure relief valve, and the other a dedicated compressor. Neither device is suitable for delivering material at a constant pressure over an extended use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,519,707; 888,693; and 587,890 disclose devices that are stationary and designed for a single purpose. None of these inventions lend themselves to a universal solution to the problem of dispensing different materials in an industrial setting.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,042,310 and 585,503 disclose devices that dispense a spray of material either under the power of a connected device to supply compressed air, or by generating the pressure within. These devices require adjustments as the pressure supply varies, and are not suitable for dispensing the many products in use in an industrial environment.
The existing devices are designed to solve the problem of dispensing a single material, such as paint, or do not provide the ability to dispense the product under constant pressure for the entire contents in the container. The current art discloses devices that are complicated, with integral motors that could create hazardous situations with sparks, or devices that are not portable. Current devices that are portable enough to permit the device to be lifted and carried are limited, and those available do not provide the features needed to provide a single solution to industry, in order to permit the dispensing of paints, solvents, and other materials.